Pastoral Letter
Dear Friends,
On Remembrance Sunday we honour the memory of all those who gave their lives in the service of their country in the two world wars, and in many other conflicts since.
There have been many stories of acts of unselfish heroism in times of war. One in particular, that came to my attention recently, was the story of the soldier who asked his officer if he might go out into the "No Man's Land" between the trenches in World War I to bring in one of his comrades who lay grievously wounded.
"You can go," said the officer, "but it's not worth it. Your friend is probably killed, and you will throw your own life away." But the man went.
Somehow he managed to get to his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to the trenches. The two of them tumbled in together and lay in the trench bottom.
The officer looked very tenderly on the would-be rescuer, and then he said, "I told you it wouldn't be worth it. Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded." "It was worth it, though, sir," the soldier replied. "How do you mean, 'worth it'? I tell you your friend is dead," responded the officer. "Yes, sir," the soldier answered, "but it was worth it, because when I got to him he was still alive, and he said to me, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.'"
That story speaks to me of the triumph of human love over the terrible forces of destruction that are unleashed in times of war, and it reminds me that the greatest of all human facets is indeed love.
The Bible tells us that 'God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him' (1 John 4:16). That passage from the 1st letter of John goes on to point out that "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). It also says 'No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives is us and His love is made complete in us' (1 John 4:12).
Those amazing verses explain where love comes from, and why we should love one another. To love each other is to reflect God's meaning and significance in the world.
St. John learnt his amazing understanding of where love comes from through his Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus said to him, and the other disciples, and to all of us: "My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15: 12/13).
That is exactly what Jesus did - he lay down his life for all of us, because he counts us all as his friends.
Just like that world war one soldier, Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for his friends, and he did it as an act of atonement - to enable us to be "at one" with God. What's more, after his terrible sacrificial death on the cross, he rose again from the dead to demonstrate that he was much more that a mere man - he was the son of God.
Christian's believe that Jesus lives forever, both in heaven, and in the hearts and souls of all who believe in him. We believe that his very presence in our lives helps us to cope with tragedy, pain, suffering, bereavement and anxiety. Whenever the going gets tough we can turn to our Lord Jesus. We can experience the comfort, hope and strength of his presence with us, and be able to say to him. "Lord, I knew you'd come".
May God bless you all,